[0001] The object of the invention is the sealing of a smoke control damper which is a multi-blade
damper used in smoke control systems.
[0002] Various types of smoke control dampers for the above applications are known, including
ones with moving blades installed, among other places, in walls or on smoke control
system ducts for closing the vents. These dampers prevent fire and smoke from passing
from rooms on fire to other rooms or to smoke control system ducts - in case they
are closed during fire or let smoke and gases be removed from rooms on fire if they
are open during fire. Actuation of dampers is performed using a drive mechanism controlled
remotely with an electric signal.
[0003] These dampers should have definite fire resistance and smoke leakage class, which
makes it possible to maintain the fire resistance of a wall or smoke control system
ducts. These parameters are marked respectively EIS tt, where E -integrity, I-insulation,
S - smoke leakage, tt - period during which all these parameters are maintained. In
order to achieve E and I parameters, fireproof materials are used for construction
of dampers. In order to achieve smoke leakage, rubber or silicone sealings are used,
as well as intumescent sealings, which ensure the integrity of structure during fire,
when normal sealings lose their properties.
[0004] The essential parameters of this damper type are defined in the harmonized product
standard entitled: Smoke and heat control systems. Smoke control dampers EN 12101-8:2011.
Classification of the mentioned dampers is according to the following pattern:

[0005] The classes are expressed as follows:
- EI tt (...) tt expresses the classification time during which the criteria of integrity
and fire insulation are satisfied;
- E tt (...) tt expresses the classification time during which the criterion of integrity
is satisfied;
- EI tt (...) S tt expresses the classification time during which the criteria of integrity,
insulation, and smoke leakage are satisfied;
- E tt (...) S tt expresses the classification time during which the criteria of integrity
and smoke leakage are satisfied.
[0006] All times should be declared in minutes, using one of the times: 15, 20, 30, 45,
60, 90, 120, 180 or 240.
[0007] Resistance class is determined as follows:
- E - Integrity Integrity shall be assessed during the test, as the time during which
the leakages through the smoke control damper after 5 minutes from starting the test
exceed 360 m3/(m2h), cracks or openings exceed the specified dimensions, cotton pad
ignites and flame is maintained on the unheated side around the dumper on the joint
with the wall or ceiling. Ignition of the cotton pad should not be taken into consideration
in the case of smoke control dampers classified exclusively in class E.
- I-Insulation
[0008] The performance level used to define insulation shall be the mean temperature rise
on the unexposed face, limited to 140 °C above the initial mean temperature, with
the maximum temperature rise at any point limited to 180 °C above the initial mean
temperature.
[0009] For dampers for which the S class is relevant the leakage through the fire damper
shall not exceed 200 m
3/(m
2·h), corrected to 20 °C at ambient temperature prior to the fire test, and shall not
exceed 200 m
3/(m
2·h) corrected to 20 °C after the first 5 minutes of the fire test.
[0010] The classification should indicate whether the performance criteria are satisfied
with fire impact on one side only or on both sides, and whether satisfying the performance
criteria refers to horizontal or vertical position or to both positions. Additional
symbols "i→o", "o→i" or "i↔o" should be used accordingly with "v
e" and/or "h
o" in order to indicate position:
- ve - vertical - means damper installation in a wall,
- ho - horizontal - means the possibility of damper installation in a ceiling,
- "ved", "vew" or "vedw" and/or "hod", "how" or "hodw" means suitability for application in horizontal and/or vertical position, together
with installation in a ventilation conduit or in a wall or in both variants, respectively.
- The marking "i→o", "o→i" or "i↔o" indicates that the performance criteria are satisfied
from the inside to the outside (fire from the inside), from the outside to the inside
(fire from the outside), or in both situations, respectively,
- "500", "1,000" or "1,500" means that in case the damper has been subjected to the
test with these negative pressure values, it is suitable for application in the scope
from the test negative pressure value to the positive pressure of 500 Pa,
- "C300", "C10000" or "Cmod" means that the damper is suitable for application exclusively in smoke control systems,
in mixed smoke control and general ventilation systems, and as a regulated damper
in mixed smoke control and general ventilation systems, respectively. This means that
the number of opening / closing cycles performed by the damper before the fire test
is 300, 10200 and 20000, respectively,
- "HOT 400/30" (High Operational Temperature) means that the smoke control damper is
capable of opening and closing for the period of 30 minutes in the conditions of temperature
below 400°C,
- "AA" or "MA" means automatic actuation or manual intervention, and in the case of
manual intervention (MA), which means the ability of the closed damper to open blades
within 25 minutes from the start of a standard fire, which means in practice the ability
to open blades when gases and smokes on the heated side have the temperature of approximately
815°C,
- The classification is supplemented with the suffix "multi" in order to indicate the
suitability for multi-zone application.
[0011] A fire damper is known from the description of the European patent application
EP2366435. A damper according to this invention incorporates a body comprising a steel frame
and blades of fire protection material comprising gaskets. The damper is characterized
in that in each blade there are two rotary axles mounted in two bearings located on
opposite vertical sides of the body, and blades are connected with one another using
a tie rod through sheet metal with opening, making it possible to transmit the drive
between individual blades, and a spring is mounted to a spring bracket on one side
and to a blade on the other side.
[0012] A smoke control fire damper is known from the American patent description
US 6019679. The smoke control fire damper comprises a spring actuator rotating the blades (lamellas)
between the "open" position and the "closed" position, when there is a condition of
fire or smoke. The damper can incorporate one or more blades, opened and closed using
a linkage connector in order to ensure simultaneous operation of them both. Flat coil
springs remain under the tension of a realizer (such as a fusible one) and keep the
blades in the "open" position. After a spring is released, a rotating system placed
between the spring and the blades moves the blades to the closed position, thus blocking
the flow of smoke and fire. The blades can have seals in order to ensure tightness.
[0013] The multi-plane damper by AEROPRODUKT ZRT company, of type BRK-J/EI90/M/HOT, is known
on the basis of the information revealed on the web pagehttp://aeroprodukt.hu/product-details/bsk-jei90gmhot/.
The sealings applied in this damper do not permit achieving the fire resistance as
in the case of the damper known from the patent
EP3061503. This damper has only been classified in the class S1000, which means in practice
that this damper must not be used in systems of negative pressure greater than 1000
Pa and it guarantees smoke control in the conditions of fire at the pressure difference
of 300 Pa - the fire resistance evaluation is performed at this pressure difference,
and its duration is limited to 90 minutes, i.e.: EI 90 (v
edw-h
odw-i↔ο) S1000 C
10000 HOT400/30AAmulti. The sealings applied in this damper have a characteristic way of
swelling - with increasing temperature they create short and soft "fibres" which do
not restrict the operation of blades for a period of at least 30 minutes, when the
temperature is equal or less than 400°C. However, such sealing has low resistance
to high pressure differences, which results in limiting the fire resistance to the
class S1000 and time 90 - i.e. the fire resistance evaluation has been performed at
the pressure difference of 300 Pa and during the time of 90 minutes.
[0014] The essence of the invention is a smoke control damper consisting of a damper housing
and permanently interconnected sections, and a shut-off blades of the damper, constituted
by moving blades and an external blades, made of fire protection board, characterized
in that it comprises a sealing of the moving blades, comprising a intumescent gasket
and an insulating gasket, installed in grooves made along one longer edge of the blades,
except for the external blade, and a sealing installed on the body on each of the
four sides, comprising an insulating gasket. Advantageously, the grooves are located
beyond the axle of the blades. Advantageously, the insulating gasket consists of insulating
fire protection materials and intumescent under the influence of temperature. Advantageously,
the damper has a mounting for the insulating gasket with steel slats and aluminium
rivets.
[0015] Another object of the invention is a smoke control damper consisting of a damper
housing and permanently interconnected sections and a shut-off blades of the damper,
constituted by moving blades and an external blade, made of fire protection board,
characterized in that each of the blades comprises a sealing installed in grooves
made along one longer edge and on each of the shorter sides, whereas the external
blade comprises a sealing installed in grooves on each of the sides, where the sealing
comprises a intumescent gasket and insulating gaskets.
[0016] Advantageously, the grooves are located beyond the axle of the blades.
[0017] Advantageously, the insulating gasket consists of insulating fire protection and
intumescent materials. Advantageously, the damper has a mounting for the insulating
gasket with steel slats and aluminium rivets.
[0018] The solution of sealings of a multi-plane damper, being the object of this invention,
permits to achieve fire resistance in the class S1500 for 120 minutes:
EI 120 (vedw-hodw-i↔o) S1500 Cmod HOT400/30AAmulti or
EI 120 (vedw-hodw-i↔o) S1500 Cmod MAmulti
[0019] A smoke control damper is known from the European patent description
EP3061503, whose sealings in the case of a high temperature are intumescent and cause blocking
of the blades, and as a result the damper cannot operate at the temperature of 400°C
for 30 minutes - the damper cannot achieve the class HOT 400/30. For the same reason
it is not possible to open a closed damper after subjecting it to a high temperature
on the heated side (approximately 815°C), and thus it is not possible to open it after
25 minutes from starting the test, therefore the damper also cannot achieve the class
MA.
[0020] The invention has been presented more closely in the following description and in
the drawing where fig. 1 presents a front view of the damper with closed blades for
the form of execution having the sealing installed on the body, fig. 1.1 presents
a front view of the damper with closed blades having the sealing installed on the
blades only, fig. 2 presents a side view of the smoke control damper, fig. 3 presents
a front view of the damper with closed blades from the side opposite to fig. 1, fig.
4 presents the cross-section I-I, fig. 5 presents the cross-section K-K of the damper
incorporating a sealing on the body, fig. 5.1 presents the cross-section K-K of the
damper incorporating a sealing installed on the blades only, fig. 6 presents the cross-section
J-J, fig. 7 presents the cross-section L-L of the damper incorporating a sealing on
the body, fig. 7.1 presents the cross-section L-L of the damper incorporating a sealing
installed on the blades only, fig. 8 presents the cross-section M-M, fig. 9 presents
an enlarged view of element A, fig. 10 presents an enlarged view of element B, fig.
11 presents the insulating gasket 37, fig. 12 presents the insulating gasket 27, assembly
H (used on vertical sections, includes holes for bearings, used on the housing on
sections H), fig. 13 presents the insulating gasket 27, assembly L (used on sections
L).
[0021] The elements comprised in the damper are analogous to the application
EP3061503. It is a housing (body) of the damper, made of steel sheet and incorporating permanently
interconnected sections 1, 2, 3, and 4 which can be reinforced in the corners with
corner pieces 8. The shut-off blades of the damper are comprised by moving blades
(guides) - one extreme (external) (9) and the remaining (10) made of fire protection
board. The object of the invention is the sealing of a smoke control damper used in
smoke control systems, i.e. the sealing between blades and the sealing between blades
and the body, which is solved in such a way that the smoke control damper is capable
of opening and closing for the period of 30 minutes in the conditions of temperature
below 400°C - class "HOT 400/30" (High Operational Temperature) - making it possible
for the position of the damper to be changed in these conditions by authorized persons
and/or the possibility to open blades within 25 minutes from the start of a "standard"
fire, when gases and smokes on the heated side have the temperature of approximately
815°C - class MA.
[0022] In one example of execution, two grooves 12 and 13 have been made in the upper part
of blades, and the intumescent gaskets 38 under the influence of a high temperature,
e.g. graphite ones, have been placed in them. The intumescent gaskets have been shielded
with the composite insulating gasket 37 ensuring protection of the swelling gaskets
38 against heating and swelling too quickly.
[0023] In the advantageous example of execution shown in fig. 1 the external blade 9 is
free of the sealing which comprises the intumescent gasket 38 and the insulating gasket
37 which are installed in the grooves 12 and 13. This external blade is sealed "on
the bottom" with the preceding blade and "on the top" with the insulating gasket 27
placed on the body, consisting of fire protection insulating and intumescent materials.
[0024] In another advantageous example of execution shown in fig. 1.1 the body does not
comprise the insulating gasket 27, it is only present on the blades, i.e. the blade
10 comprises the intumescent gasket 38 and the insulating gasket 37 and the insulating
gasket 37' which are installed in the grooves 12 and 13 made along one longer edge
and along both shorter sides, whereas the external blade 9 comprises sealing on each
of the sides.
[0025] In an advantageous example of execution, the composite insulating gaskets 37 consist
of layers of metalized glass fabric 37A - one, two or more (depending on the available
basis weight and weave) interconnected, advantageously using seams with the fireproof
thread 37C - advantageously resistant to the temperature of 400°C, possibly with additional
insulating layer e.g. of ceramic paper 37B.
[0026] Due to the above protection of the intumescent gaskets 38, the blades can move at
the temperature of 400°C for at least 30 minutes. In the case of further growth of
temperature above 400°C the thermally activated intumescent gaskets 38 are swelling,
and thus, in case blades are in the closed position, sealing of the closed blades
occurs and it is possible to achieve the required fire resistance expressed with class
EI 120 (v
ew-h
ow-i↔o) S1500C
modHOT400/30 AAmulti.
[0027] A sealing according to the invention makes it also possible to open a damper after
25 minutes from the start of testing according to the standard EN 12101-8:2011, which
means that it is possible to open the damper when gases and smokes on the heated side
have the temperature of approximately 815°C. This ability makes it possible to achieve
the fire resistance expressed with class EI 120 (v
ew-h
ow-i↔o) S1500C
modHOT400/30 MAmulti.
[0028] Additionally, sealings in the form of the gasket with "O" section 28, empty inside,
of plastic, e.g. silicone, are glued on the insulating gaskets 37 installed on blades,
with the purpose to ensure tightness at low temperatures.
In the closed position of blades, the edges of the gasket with "O" section 28 contact
the "O" section of the gaskets with "O" section 28 glued on the side H of the damper,
which ensures damper tightness in normal conditions.
[0029] The insulating gaskets 37 consist of 3 parts interconnected with e.g. a seam made
using the fireproof thread 37C - advantageously resistant to the temperature of at
least 400°C. Extreme parts of the gaskets 37 are constricted under the reinforcements
of blades 11, which makes it possible to stretch the gaskets 37, limiting the possibility
of increasing the volume of the gaskets for a certain period making it possible for
blades to rotate despite the increased ambient temperature.
[0030] The body of a damper according to the invention has also been covered by gluing from
the inside with the composite insulating gaskets 27, which have been made of layers
of metalized glass fabric 27A, ceramic paper 27B, sewn with the fireproof thread 27C
and the intumescent gasket e.g. graphite one 27D, with the gaskets with "O" profile
28 of plastic e.g. silicone also glued on them. Along the body, the gaskets 27 are
additionally fastened using known means, for example the steel slats 34 and the aluminium
rivets 39.
[0031] In the initial phase of temperature growth and for at least 30 minutes, when the
ambient temperature is below 400°C, the steel slats 34 fastening the insulting gaskets
27 effectively restrict the swelling of the thermally activated gaskets 27D, which
makes it possible to open and close blades for at least 30 minutes, if the ambient
temperature is equal or less than 400°C (class HOT 400/30) and which makes it possible
to open blades of a closed damper after 25 minutes from the start of a standard fire
(class MA) even at the temperature of 820°C.
1. A smoke control damper consisting of a damper housing and the permanently interconnected
sections (1), (2), (3), and (4) and a shut-off blades of the damper, constituted by
the moving blades (10) and the external blade (9), made of fire protection board,
characterized in that it comprises a sealing of the blades (10), comprising the intumescent gasket (38)
and the insulating gasket (37), installed in the grooves (12) and (13) made along
one longer edge of the blades (10), and a sealing installed on the body, on each of
the four sides, comprising the insulating gasket (27).
2. A damper according to claim 1 characterized in that the grooves (12) and (13) are located outside the axle of the blades (10).
3. A damper according to claim 1 characterized in that the insulating gasket (27) consists of insulating fire protection materials, swelling
under the influence of temperature.
4. A damper according to claim 1 or 2 characterized in that it has a mounting for the insulating gasket (27) with the steel slats (34) and the
aluminium rivets (39).
5. A smoke control damper consisting of a damper housing and the permanently interconnected
sections (1), (2), (3), and (4) and a shut-off blades of the damper, constituted by
the moving blades (10) and the external blade (9), made of fire protection board,
characterized in that each of the blades (10) comprises a sealing installed in the grooves (12) and (13)
made along one longer edge and on each of the shorter sides, whereas the external
blade (9) comprises a sealing installed in the grooves (12) and (13) on each of the
sides, where the sealing comprises the intumescent gasket (38) and the insulating
gasket (37) and the insulating gasket (37').
6. A damper according to claim 5 characterized in that the grooves (12) and (13) are located outside the axle of the blades (9) and (10).
7. A damper according to claim 5 characterized in that the insulating gasket (27) consists of insulating fire protection and intumescent
materials.
8. A damper according to claim 5 or 6 characterized in that it has a mounting for the insulating gasket (27) with the steel slats (34) and the
aluminium rivets (39).